A View of the Valley

by Linda Schwanke Spring is in the air. There have been more wet and cold days than perfect sunny one, true, but that’s just Mother Nature’s way of preparing the earth for summer, right? Rainy days are perfect days to plan ahead. Gardens, vacations, get-togethers, all those things that will fill our lives all summer long.  For the past couple months, daughter Gwen and I have been thinking about raising chickens this summer. It seems like a good time to do it with rising grocery prices. It should also be a good learning experience for granddaughter Mildred. Knowing where your food comes from is an important lesson. She’s been happy with gardening and this could be a great add-on for her.  It won’t be the first time we’ve had chickens. Years ago, before chicken ordinances were really a thing, we had backyard chickens. We had checked with then-chief of police Kevin Wilkins and he said it was ok as long as we didn’t have roosters. So Gwen and hubby Jim got a big chicken coop, fenced the area behind the garage, and Gwen got a bunch of chicks. She set up an area inside the garages – which became a vehicle-free area – to house the babies until they were big enough to be outside. It also worked as a winter home for them. One thing none of us expected, though we probably should have, was that Freya, our Norwegian Elkhound, would not want to share even one square foot of her yard with any kind of bird. She barked and snapped and bark, bark, barked at them so much we couldn’t let her out in the backyard alone. So a second fence was built to dog-proof the chicken part of the yard. We hid the whole thing behind a bunch of pots of flowers and Freya eventually, for the most part, accepted the chickens.  The chickens were really sweet little critters. They were friendly and so tame you could hold them in your arms. They loved to be petted and fussed over. I found it was kind of hard to eat their tiny little eggs but fresh eggs are so much better than store-bought that I got over it.  When Gwen transferred to UW-Stevens Point to finish her degree the chickens went to live on a farm. They lived out their lives happily enough, as far as I know. We rehomed the coop and the other chicken paraphernalia and that was that.  Until this spring when we started to think chickens would be fun. Now, however, I’ve been getting notices from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) that the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) that is spreading across the country has arrived in Wisconsin. It’s been found at a poultry farm in Jefferson County. Which isn’t us, fortunately, but isn’t very far away. (I also read that Vilas Zoo is closing their avian exhibits because of the disease. It’s a bummer because they are my favorites but I’m certain it’s a good idea.) DATCP said the following last week: “Spring has sprung and people across the state are adding chickens to their backyard flocks. If you intend to buy or raise chickens this spring, please consider the following tips. “New birds “USDA and DATCP highly discourage the movement of naïve poultry (new birds) into an active HPAI Control Area, such as the area surrounding the infected farm. “Any new birds brought into the control zone require a permit from DATCP. “Birds brought into the control zone are not subject to indemnification in the event the poultry become positive with HPAI. “Existing flocks “Protect your flock by practicing good biosecurity. “Implement enhanced biosecurity practices on your premises. This includes sanitation and restricting movement of people, animals, and equipment. “Discourage co-mingling of waterfowl and domestic birds and poultry; if possible, move all birds indoors. “Restrict access to surface water and the surrounding environment by poultry and prevent wild birds access to poultry feed, water, and other environments strictly for poultry. “DATCP will continue to update the HPAI incident webpage to include new resources, including the HPAI in Wisconsin: Frequently Asked Questions document.”    Visit their website at datcp.wi.gov for more information. DATCP has also established an Avian Influenza Response Line available by calling (608) 224-4902. Callers can leave a message with their questions or concerns; messages are checked daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.  We are going to think long and hard before we make a decision about getting chickens this year. And if we decide to go ahead with our plans, we’ll be sure to find out which village trustee is the chicken inspector now that Gene Hausner has retired.  If you haven’t voted absentee already, don’t forget to vote this coming Tuesday. Our local elected officials have a lot of day to day impact on our lives. Every vote matters. Every vote counts.  Stay in touch. My phone number is (608) 574-3159 – call or text me anytime. You can also email me at homenewseditor@newspubinc.com or write to me at the Home News, P.O. Box 39, Spring Green WI 53588.  Visit our website at homenewsrv.com Get in touch with Gwen for sports or features at homenewssports@newspubinc.com. If you need a display ad, Dave Pronold can be reached at homenewssales@newspubinc.com or by calling him on his cell at 588-4777. Display ads, or ads that are in boxes, are due by 1 p.m. on Wednesdays. The classified ad deadline is noon Thursdays the week prior to publication for both the Buyer’s Guide and Home News. Classified rates are $13 for the first 10 words, then 30¢ per word for each additional word. Call (608) 767-3655 or email classifieds@newspubinc.com  Legal notices are due by 2 p.m. on Fridays, email them to legals@newspubinc.com Call the NewsPub central office at (608) 767-3655 for subscriptions and all other information Monday through Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon, although afternoon hours can vary. Closed Fridays.